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April 10, 2005
A Learning Approach to the Qur'an
For those who aspire to be "rationalist" and want to study the Qur'an, please allow me to suggest the following hypothesis:
Hypothesis: "This is the book that claims to be the unadulterated word of someone who claims to have created me. Why should I believe it?"
Then "distance" your hearts and minds from any previous knowledge you may have about the Qur'an, Muhammad (saw), Islam and Muslims. I used the word "distance" because in the beginning it would be difficult to "clean" yourself:
56:79 Which none shall touch but those who are clean:
Then, use any number of tools that are available on-line and off-line to start understanding the book.
Please also allow me to share a couple of additional things about the book, not in terms of the contents (YOU make a determination about the contents), but in terms of study hints.
I look at the Qur'an as a "system". Translations serve a very narrow purpose, and should only be taken as the starting point to understand the Qur'anic system. Some people say that a translation of the Qur'an is not the same as the Arabic Qur'an. I believe that even an expert in the Arabic language cannot understand the Qur'an using the linear approach of reading the Qur'an.
One not only needs to understand individual verses, but also the "tauheed" of the Qur'an; the "big picture" or "unity of message", if you will. You constantly need to go to 35,000 feet level, and then come back down to a very detail level. I call it macro-micro-macro and micro-macro-micro contemplation techniques.
What happens when you do the above? Either the Qur'an will make sense, or it will not make sense. If it makes sense, you update your initial hypothesis, and BELIEVE.
If it does not make sense, then you forget about it and play more golf (or whatever is a better use of your time.) There is no compulsion.
You also have a choice to waste your time to confront the Qur'an. I am NOT aware of anyone who could be considered a Qur'anic critic par excellence. Those who claim to critique the Qur'an seem to dance around peripheries of the book, and NOT the book itself.
On the other hand, if you do know of good Qur'anic critics, please let me know. I would love to look at their work.
Posted by m12390 at April 10, 2005 02:07 AM